David Willhite on wed 24 oct 01
Hello Mr. Taylor,
I'm interested in the glaze fit essay that you wrote!
I do want to make my own glazes because I can make gallons and gallons of
glazes from scratch for the price of a quart of store bought glaze (which I
have never used!)
I do want to get into raku some day too...
David
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tomsawyer on wed 24 oct 01
Paul,
I mix my own glazes and pretty much only use commercial glaze to reglaze
pots that don't come out satisfactorly the first firing. I use commercial
glazes for this purpose because they go on glaze surfaces so nicely. I've
asked twice before what the commercial vendors put in their glazes that make
them so smooth and have gotten various answers that are always none
specific. I make a lot of large pots and like to use a lot of different
glazes so dipping is not a great option. I like brushing but have never come
upon a blend of additives that make my glazes apply like the commercial
ones. Again [third try] can anyone recommend specific additives that mimic
the application qualities of commercial glazes?
Thanks for any replies
Tom Sawyer
tsawyer@cfl.rr.com
Paul Taylor on thu 25 oct 01
Dear Mr David
I think that the companies that make glazes overcharge for there glazes.
I think they take advantage of the education market and hobby potters not
knowing how much they can save by making there own. I wonder if in the long
run they would sell more if they sold cheaper. Then the potters would not
have such a nit picking view of their product. But irenic reasonably priced
glazes would discourage many from the quest, and that would be a pitty. from
what you write you are planning to make lots of pots so you will need lots
of glaze and it will be worth the out lay on the materials.
My article while encouraging people to use formulas dealt with glaze fit
problems for people using recipes. There are few arguments against using
formulas, except that even people like me who prefer to use formulas started
our glaze chemistry by trying the odd recipe and then playing about with it
blindly picking up knowledge as the need arose.
There is a lot more to a glaze than just the chemicals in it. How easy it
is to glaze the pot? How well it stays on the pot before firing? trying out
a few glazes with all sorts of stuff in them is the only way to learn this.
I also feel that trying a few recipes makes an easy first step on the
journey to glaze mastery. Where as getting bogged down in unity formulas
proportional percentage analysis is more discouraging than helpful for the
beginner. I know that a computer program will do it all for you but with the
instant results it gives you can lose touch of the 'why's and the how's.
where as bubbling along with crazing and an angle grinder will give you
stops along the way . So the understanding grows from success to disaster
back and forth to eventual success.
I will send you that essay. Mind you I can see now why the editor ignored
it, it is painfully written . I have to thank the patient people on clayart
who have indulged me while I half learned to write . The crimes I have
committed against literature are serious . My spelling has done more damage
to the minds of some than Timothy Leary and my grammar can only be defended
as conceptual . Still this list has been one of the most enjoyable thing in
my life. I can now discuss my love for pottery with a community of
thousands.
--
Regards Paul Taylor
http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
Ps what did happen to tim leary is LSD still a the road to enlightenment.
> From: David Willhite
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 22:56:24 -0700
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Paul Taylor - Glaze fit essay?
>
> Hello Mr. Taylor,
>
> I'm interested in the glaze fit essay that you wrote!
> I do want to make my own glazes because I can make gallons and gallons of
> glazes from scratch for the price of a quart of store bought glaze (which I
> have never used!)
>
> I do want to get into raku some day too...
>
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